Elevating truck



Nov. 10 1925- 1,560,675 J. M. EATON ELEVATING TRUCK Filq Aus- 1922 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENTOR VBY 1%! Z A 1 v :KITTORNEYS Nov. 10,192 4 V 1,560,675

J. M. EATON E'LEV'ATING TRUCK Filed Aug. 10. 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 mvsmok ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1925. it 'I i 'I I I 1 UNITED STATES PATENT.

JAMES M. EATON, or HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD N. WHITE, J. LEWIS wYcKoEE, AND JAMES M. EATON, ALL OF I-IO'LYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, TRUSTEES, DOING BUSINESS AS COWAN TRUCK COMPANY;

ELEVATING TRUCK.

Application filed August 10, 1922 Serial No. 580,909.

To all whom it may concern: and general description will be given herein 55 Be it known that I, JAMEs M. EATON, of those parts of the illustrated truck which citizen of the United States, residing at correspond to similar parts in the truck de- Holyoke, in the county of Hampden, and scribed in the. aforesaid patent, reference ber 5 State of Massachusetts, have invented new ing had to said patent for a more detailed and useful Improvements in Elevating description if desired. The truck shown in 60 Trucks, of which the following is a specifithe drawings comprises a base frame 7 and ation, an elevating platform 8 which is connected This invention has reference to improvewith the base frame by means of swinging ments in elevating trucks'and is particularlinks 9 which enables the platform to be ly concerned with locking means for holding raised and lowered. The frame 7 consists 65 the platforms ofelevating trucks in raised of two side beams 10 and 11 (Fig. 6) which position. i are connected at their front endsby means The general object of the invention is to of a head 12 and at their rear extremities by 15 provide in connection with means for automeans of a suitable cross bar (not shown). inatically locking the platform of an elevat- The construction of the base frame of the ing truck in raised position, improved and present truck differs somewhat from that simplified means operable at will for releasshown in the patent referred to in that the ing id lo king means. side beams 10 and 11 are severally riveted The invention consists in the features of or otherwise rigidly secured to the head 12 construction and the arrangements and comat two longitudinally spaced pointsas indibinations of parts hereinafter described and cated at 14; and 15, to reinforce said" beams claimed, the advantages of which will be against side strain. The side beams 10 and apparent. to those skilled i the art, I 11 are also spaced from the adjacent ends The invention will be best understood of the head 12 to permit the swinging links from a description of the preferred embodi- 9 to be interposed between the head and 80 ment thereof illustrated in the accompanythe respective side beams. ing drawings, in which: The base frame is provided with the usual Fig. 1 is a side elevational view'of the supporting wheels (not shown) at the rear front end portion of an elevating truck and with a steering wheel at the forward end showing the present invention embodied thereof: The steering wheel 16 is carried therein; by a vertical wheel fork 18 which is swiv- Fig. 2 is a view, in vertical longitudinal elled in the head 12 and a. steering handle section, of the portion of the truck shown in 20 is forked at one end to straddle the pro- Fig. 1; jecting upper end ofthe wheel fork, the

Fig. 3 is a detail view, in side elevation of fork'of the handle being pivotally connected the steering handle showing part of the to the wheel fork by a horizontal stud 19. mechanism which functions in the releasing This construction adapts the handle for ver- .of the platform locking means; tical and horizonal swinging movements in 40 Fig. 4 is a view, partially in front elevahauling and guiding the truck. The hantion and partially in section of the parts -dle 20 1s provided, at its free extremity, with 96 shown in Fig. 3; a cross bar 21 which affords a convenient Fig.6 is a view similar toa portion of hand hold for the operator. The handle 20' Fig 2 but on an enlarged scale and showing is also provided, at its pivoted end, with flat the truck platform in raised position; and stop faces 22 adaptedto engage shoulders Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the mechanism 23 on the wheel fork to determine the vertishown in Figs. 1 and 2. cal position of the handle 20.

Referring to the drawings, the features The platform 8, which is of the, usual of the present invention have been therein rectangular construction, rests upon the 50 illustrated as embodied in an elevating truck base frame when in loweredposition and of the same general character as the truck is Supported by the swinging links 9 when 1 5 disclosed in United States Letters Patent in raised position. There area pair of links No. 1,373,069 to D. E. Hennessy, dated 9 at each end of the platform 8, only the March 29, 1921. Consequently only a brief forward pair of links-being shown in the drawings. 4 a'c hlink 9 is pivoted at 24 to the platform and at 25 to the base frame.

The steering handle 20 is also utilized as the operating lever for lifting the platform 8. To this end the handle 20 is-adaptedto be detachably connected with the platform by means of a vertically swinging hook link 26 that is pivoted at its rear extremity upon the platform. The hook link 26 is formed with two parallel arms-the free forward ends of which are provided with hooks 2'? for engagement with a cross-pin '28 'carried by the handle 20 the opposite ends of the cross p'in projecting upon opposite sides of the handle into the vertical planesof the hooks 27.

Normally the hook link 26 is disengaged from the'cro ss-gpi-n 28-and rests idly upon the upper surface of the head 12. Theidle pos'itionwhich hook link 26 assumes when-the truck platform is in its lowered position is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Toenable the platform to be elevated the hooklink 26 is raised from the idle position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 into position to be engaged bythe cross-pin 28 by the action-of a foot tre'adle 30. The foot treadle 30 is pivotally mountedupon a horizontal stud'31 and is'provided with a rearward extension 32'whi'ch underlies one of the side arms of the hook link and isadapted to abut against a boss- '33formedon'thehook ink for lifting the latter t'o place it inengaging position with respect to 'thehan'd-le. The handle is then manipulated to engagelthe cross-pin 28 'w'ith'the hooked ends-of the hook link and'the treadle is-rele'ased. The ha'ndle may then be swung forwar'dly and downwardly to elevate the platform.

'lVit'h the exeeptioiroflthe -provision hereinbefore referred to for'rein'forcing theside hea'ms'of' the base frame against side strain, gall parts thus far described are or'm-ay be sn'bstantlally thesame 1n construction and they may operate in substantially the" same manner to per form'the functions stated above' corresponding parts disclosed in named Patent No. 1,373,069.

Thepresent invention however, is concerned 'withthe provision .ofnovel and improved means for "holding the platform with its lead in raised position and for releasing said ho-lding'means to permit the'descent of the platform *when desired.

The improved holding means consists of a latch 35 which'is pivotally mountedup'on a stud 861carr=iedbyears37 projecting rearwardly from thel'head 12. formed with a 'rearw ardly extending -11-0o1 38 for cooperatively engaging a forwardly projecting hook '39 son :the platform 8; a

depending-"stop arm '40 which coacts with a 'ho'ssE l-l 'o'n' the hea d 12 to limit the swinging o'f th'e latch under the influence" of gravity so as"t0 locate the-"hook '38 in position The latch 35 is to engage the hook 39 when the platform is elevated; and an upstanding lug 42 ad pted to be engaged by latch operating means winch Wlll shortly be described. The conterof graVityof-the latch 35 is so disposed with respect to the p vot Silltl36 that the latch 1S normally maintained by gravity in iposition'ito engage the hook 39 wacn tlm platform is raised or to maintain holding engagement betweensaid latch and the hook 29 when the platform 1s in raised position.

suitable spring (not shown) maybe used if desired to reinforce this gravity return action of hook 88 which spring would be connected so as'to normally hold the hooiz inposition shownin Fig. 2.

The means for operating the platform holding latch 35 comprises a dog 4.5 which also functions as a latch for releasably hold-.

ing the steering handle 20 in upright :position. The dog 4:5 is pivotallymounted upon the central portion-of the cross pin 28 and isloc'ated between the forked lower extremities of the handle 20. The dog 4-5 has a rearwar'dly projecting nose 46 for ooopera-.

tively engaging thecam lug 42 to lift the latch out of platform holding position. The dog 451's also provided with a forwardly extending latch finger 4157 that is adapted to enter a notch 48 in the upper end of the wheel fork 18 when the handle 20 iselevated'to a verticalposition as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

fl he'dog 4.5 is adapted'to be rocked in a clockwise direction from the position in dle'l20 is upright and the platforn'i '8 is raised, a rocking movement of the dog of somewhat greater amplitude than abort described, but in the same direction. will operate as hereinafter described to lift the latch :hook 38 and-release the platf rmBto permit-its descent. A similar routing movement of the-dog 4-5, when the steering haudle is held inany angular position byrthe operator, willoperatively position. the dog so that it will .functionas the handle is subsequently raised into upright position to actuate the latch 35 so as to release the platform.

In order that the dog. 4.5 may be conveniently actuated for the purposes set forth, an actuating rod-5O ismounted for vertical sliding'movem'ent inthe handle'QO andthe lower end'oftherod 50 is pivotally connected at 51. to the-dog lfi. The actuating rod 50 is located in a: longitudinal channel 252' in one side of the handle 20. Indented portion-s53 in the opposite side walls of tthe channel 52 in .=-the handle restrict the width of said channel at a point near the free extremity of the handle and prevent lateral displacement of the actuating rod toward the sides of the channel. A pin 54, extending transversely across the channel 52 and through the indented side wall portions 53, maintains the actuating rod in sliding engagement with the base of the channel. At a point above the cross pin 54 the upper end of the actuating rod 50 is bent at right angles to its length to provide a handle 55 so located that it may be grasped conveniently by the fingers of the operator while grasping the cross bar 21 of the steering handle. A spring 56 is coiled around the actuating rod 50 and bears, at its lower end against a collar 57 that is held against downward movement on the rod, and at its up per end against a collar 58 that is held against upward movement relatively to the handle by the indented handle portions 53. The force of the spring 56 urges the actuating rod downwardly and tends to maintain the dog 45 at all times in such a position that it will be inoperative upon swinging movement of the handle to actuate the latch Then the handle 20 is upright, as shown in Fig, 5, the force of the spring 56 tends to hold the latch finger 47 of the dog 45 in the notch 48 so as to latch the handle in its vertical position. The base of the channel 52 is enlarged at 60 to accommodate the spring 56. A stop pin 61, extending transversely across the forked end of the handle 20, is adapted to engage the upper edge portion of the dog 45 to limit its movement when rocked bythe actuating rod 50. a

After the platform has been raised and e the truck has been transported to its destie nation, the platform may be released by upward swinging movement of the handle 20. ln order that the upward movement of the handle 20 may be eflective to release, the platform it is only necessary to operatively position the dog 45 by grasping the bent or handle portion 55 of the actuating rod 50 and drawing it toward the cross bar 21, thus sliding the actuating rod upward relatively to the handle 20. This upward movement of the actuating rod 50 will rock the dog 45 into the position shown by dotted lines in ll'ig. 5. lVith the dog 45 held in this angular position relatively to the handle 20, the nose 46 of the dog will engage the curved cam face at the upper side of the lug 42 as the handle 20 approaches upright position and before the stop face 22 on the handle engages the limiting shoulder 23, the dog will have rocked the latch 35 from the full line position in Fig. 5 to the dotted line position in said figure, thus lifting the hook 38 away from the hook 39 and unlocking the platform. The operator may easily hold the dog 45 in position to actuate the latch 35 during the upward swing of the steering handle, by simply maintaining his grasp upon the cross-bar 21 and upon the beht upper end of the actuating rod50 as the steering handle is operated.

If it is c esired to latch the steering han dle in upright position without releasing the platform 8, this may be readily accomplished by merely raising the handle without lifting the actuating rod 50, and when the handle reaches vertical position the dog will operate, under the influence of the spring 56 to project the latch finger 47 into the notch 48. It will be understood that the latch finger 47 may be withdrawn from the notch 48 to release the handle for downward swinging movement by a slight upward pull on the bent upper end of the actuating rod 50, the resulting upward movement of the actuating rod being insufficient to rock the dog 45 so as to release the platform. If,

however it is desired to release the platform when the steering handle is latched in vertical position this may also be readily ac complished by merely grasping the bent handle portion 55 of the actuating rod and lifting said rod to the full extent of its upward movement, thereby rocking the nose 46, of the dog 45 against the lug 42 on the latch 35 p and rocking said latch to disengage the hooks 38 and 39. i d a It will be noticed that in the above described construction, a single movable member, namely the pivoted dog 45, is employed to perform the combined functions of latching the steering handle in its upright position. unlatching said'handle, and releasing the locking means which holds the platform in elevated position. In this way multiplicity of operating parts is avoided and a very simple and effective mechanism is provided for accomplishing the results above set forth.

The invention has been disclosed herein for illustrative purposes in an embodiment at present preferred but the scope of the in- 0 vention is to be determined from the a pended claims rather than from the fore going description. i

Vhat is claimed is I 1. In an elevating truck, in combination, an elevating platform, steering and supporting wheels therefor, carrying portions for said wheels, a steering handle pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means for elevating said platform by vertical swinging movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, separate means unconnected with the handle for locking the platform in raised position, and a dog pivoted to said handle and adapted to be rocked relatively to said handle to engage and release said locking means when said handle is swung into or is in upright position.

2. In an elevating truck, in combination,

an elevating platform,'steering and supporting wheels therefor, carrying portions for said wheels, a steering handle pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means for elevating said platform by vertical swinging movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, separate means for locking the platform in raised position, means for latching the handle in upright position comprising a dog carried by the handle, said dog being operable when the handle is upright to release said locking means.

8. In an elevating truck, in combination, an elevating platform, steering and supporting wheels therefor, carrying portions for said wheels, a steering handle pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means for elevating said platform by vertical swinging movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, separate means for locking the platform in raised position, means for latching the handle in upright position comprising a dog carried by the handle and adapted to be set relatively to the handle to engage and-release said locking means as said handle is swung into upright position.

4. In an elevating truck, in combination, an elevating platform, steering and supporting wheels therefor, carrying portions for said wheels, a steering handle pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means for elevatin said alatform b vertical swin in b b b movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, separate means for locking the platform in raised position, adog pivoted on the handle and adapted to be set relatively to the handle to. engage and release said locking means as said handle is swung into upright position, means normally operative to hold said dog out of lock-releasing position, and means carried by said therefor, an elevating platform carriedby said base frame, a steering handle pivoted for verticalswinging movement, means for elevating said platformb'y verticalswinging movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, a latching pawl pivoted on the base frame for locking said platform in raised position, a dog pivoted on said handle and operative to latch the handle in upright position, cooperating means on said pawl and dog for disengaging said pawl from said platform, and manually'operative connections with said dog for actuating the same to unlatch the handle and to effect the disengagement of said pawl and platform to permit the latter to descend.

6. In an elevating truck, in-combination, a base frame, steering and supporting wheels therefor, an elevating platform carried by said base frame, a steering handle pivoted for vertical swinging movement, means for elevating said platform by vertical swinging movement of said handle comprising a detachable connection between the handle and the platform, a latching pawl pivoted on the base frame for locking said platform in raised position, a dog pivoted on said handle for a limited amount of rocking movement, said dog being operativeto latch the handle in upright positioin cooperating means on said pawl and dog for disengaging said pawl from saidplatform, said dog and handle being arranged relatively to' each other and to said pawl so that a maximum amount of rocking movement imparted to said dog when said handle is in upright position will disengage said latch from said* platform and when said handle is otherwise positioned will set said dog to effect the disengagement of said latch and platform upon movement of said handle into upright position while a lesser amount of rocking movement imparted to said dog when said handle is upright will unlatch said handle without actuating said pawl, and means for actuating said dog.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JAMES M. EATONL 

